


Island Detour

by Maplemoof



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Caduceus level insight, Canon Compliant, Drunken Shenanigans, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, I'm not kidding, M/M, Magic Island, Multi, Pirates, Recreational Drug Use, Slow Burn, That's Canon Compliant, The Wildmother has a Wife, Visits From Otherworldly Beings, happy trees
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-10-14 15:46:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17511416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maplemoof/pseuds/Maplemoof
Summary: The Might Nein explore a deserted island.





	1. Land Ho!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic ever so I don't know if this is any good. But there's just not a lot of fics for Clayleb out there right now so gotta contribute to the fandom somehow!
> 
> This is not beta'd so if it doesn't make sense or the grammar is bad, I did my best.

The sun was bright against the ocean waves giving the sea the faint smell of sunshine and salt. Caduceus breathed deeply, his eyes closed, and listened to the sound of waves crashing against the ship. He was pleased to note that these sounds didn’t give Caduceus the anxiety he learned to expect from being surrounded by so much ocean. In and out, his breathe acclimated, becoming in tune to the music of seafaring nature. He relaxed, taking another sip of minty tea. The smell of home warming him.

He sat atop his usual place in the crow’s nest. He quite liked his little spot this high up. It was more quiet here. He didn’t mind the company of the other Mighty Nein members, but sometimes their antics and energy could be a bit exhausting. He was used to taking things much more slow so quiet moments like these felt all the more special. He watched as his friends each took up their own respective residencies across the boat, keeping in mind that he was on watch for the day and needed to alert Fjord should he see something.

He saw Jester practicing her sketching by drawing Beau like “one of her French girls”, as she liked to put it. He wasn't quite sure what Jester meant by that. Sometimes his friends liked to refer to things that happened before Caduceus arrived without providing him any context. Maybe it was just another one of her inside jokes. Or...maybe she was referring to Avantika? It seemed to fit.

Well regardless, he knew it was just her having fun, but he liked to think this was one of her ways of putting the events in Darktow behind her. He couldn’t really be sure though since he wasn’t a mind reader, despite what the other members of the Mighty Nein thought of him. And Jester especially liked to keep it close to her chest. Sometimes that worried him.

Beau draped lazily across the deck in what Caduceus assumed she thought was a “sexy pose”. He couldn’t really tell what she was doing but he liked that they were having fun. He took another sip of tea when he saw the wizard come up from the cabins below.

Caduceus watched as he strode across the deck towards the bow of the ship. He looked a bit annoyed but that wasn’t unusual for Caleb. Perhaps Nott was being her usual rambunctious self and was a bit too loud for Caleb to do his “wizard stuff”. He knew Nott could sometimes get carried away with whatever she was doing. Or perhaps it wasn’t her specifically and Caleb was just having a bad day. Maybe he should go and give the wizard some company…

Or...perhaps not. For now anyway. He didn't want to seem overbearing and lately he's been giving the wizard a lot of attention. He couldn't really resist. There was something so strangely fascinating about the man. Brilliant, but also sensitive. Brave, but also incredibly cautious and deeply distrustful. Haunted...but also had a pretty good sense of humour. Caduceus knew that much of this was just a façade. There was still so much that Caleb refused to reveal to the other members. 

Caduceus frowned slightly. What a complicated man. Caleb could handle himself in a fight to be sure, but for all his magical prowess and destructive power, the wizard felt so...broken. It felt like a stiff breeze could shatter Caleb into a million pieces.

Something in his past, a terrible trauma or someone dear to him made him this sad, haunted man he is today. Sometimes Caduceus had the impulse to just grab Caleb and wrap him in a big hug so he could protect or shield the wizard from whatever it was that seemed to be hurting him. Of course, he knew this wasn't the kind of thing you could just fix with a hug. But Caduceus was patient. He wasn’t entirely sure what seemed to be torturing the man, but the Firbolg knew Caleb would tell him when he was ready. 

As he took another sip of tea, a dark shape loomed over the horizon catching the Firbolg’s attention. He stood up straighter and squinted over the glare of sunlight to get a better look. It seemed to be some type of landmass or an island. He breathed in deep and yelled, “land ahead,” in what seemed like a lazy voice.

He thought for a second. That might not be pirate-y enough. As an afterthought he added, “Ahoy.” Jester would appreciate that a bit more.

He could hear Beau laughing below him on the deck. “It’s land ho! You’re not supposed to say land ahead!”

“I dunno Beau,” Jester said seriously, “that doesn’t look like a land ho to me. And I’m an expert in these things.”

“She’s right you know,” Caleb said with equal frankness, “a true land ho requires there to be a sufficient amount of seamen.” Sometimes it was hard to tell if the wizard was joking since he tended to be serious no matter the subject. In this case, it was obvious as Jester was cackling with laughter.

“That’s…that’s not what I….nevermind. You’re not funny. You say you see land Caduceus?” Beau said turning to the Firbolg.

“I think so, yea. I can’t make out any details from this far away though.”

“Alright. Good work Deuci.” Beau smirked up at Caduceus and he gave her one of his small, goofy grins. It felt good to have friends who gave nicknames. It wasn’t something he was very used to yet.

“So should we land our ship?” She turned to the cabins, “FJORD get your ass up here!” She waited for him to approach before nodding to the land mass ahead. “Might be a good opportunity for us to get some supplies.”

Caduceus wasn’t entirely afraid of the water anymore, but he also didn’t mind the prospect of getting on some dry land for a spell. Maybe they could find some fresh fruit for that apricot tagine he was thinking of making tonight. He knew Marius would appreciate it.

Nott came up from below the cabins to see what all the commotion was about. When she saw the island up ahead she screamed.

“THANK THE GODS THERE’S LAND”. She bounded up to Fjord and grabbed a fistful of his tunic.

“We’re landing right?!” Her hands shook with a desperate gleam in her eye. Of course it had been a couple of weeks since they last docked. Caduceus felt like everyone was probably in need of a quick break on steady surfaces. That or risk Jester tattooing everyone on the boat just to keep herself occupied.

"I don't know if that's a good idea. It doesn't say there's supposed to be an island here..." Fjord said while checking his map.

“But wait, shouldn’t we check if there are hostile locals or something?” Beau was squinting at the isle ahead. Nott was usually the one to be more cautious but in this case, it looked like she was just too strung out from being on the sea all this time to care. Caduceus wondered if maybe he should calm her emotions a bit, just to help her along.

“Now hold on a sec, we’re getting a bit closer now. Caduceus, do you…um, see something?” Fjord asked hesitantly. Caduceus suspected Fjord thought the source of his perceptiveness was through some magic or divine power, but really he was just very good at noticing things. In all honesty, he thought this hilarious.

As he took a second glance, he saw that the island looked relatively deserted. It wasn’t very big, but it seemed to stretch on very far. A tall mountain of some kind rose up over the horizon and there seemed to be a dense forest blanketing the entire length of the island. Caduceus perked up at the sight. He was excited at the idea of making some new tree friends.

“I don’t see anyone unfriendly,” he said with a deeply affectionate sigh.

Fjord responded with a nod and stood thinking for a moment, wheels turning in his head. 

“I don't mean to rush you,” Caleb smirked, “but if it helps with your decision, I can tell you there's almost no way of knowing for sure unless we get close enough to check.”

“Hm….well...alright, fuck it. Let’s take a look then.”

“Ai ai Kapiten,” Caleb gave a small salute. He looked reluctant to get off the boat, but willing to go along with what his friends decided.

“Alright. Cool.” Caduceus said as he downed the last bit of his tea.


	2. Glow Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mighty Nein discover a few things on this island.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Writing is actually pretty fun. No longer worrying about how bad my writing is and just gonna do it. Hope you enjoy!

As a precaution, Caduceus went along first to scout ahead with Yasha and Nott. It was only a few weeks since the Firbolg joined the M9 crew, but they’ve quickly come to rely on him for his perception, even though it tended to freak the rest of the crew out a bit. Yasha was sitting behind Caduceus looking steadfast and impassive as always, while Nott gripped her seat looking like she might pass out. The only thing keeping her in place seemed to be her natural caution keeping her steady and her tremendous fear of water.

He didn’t notice anything odd about the island. The beach was wide and long extending far ahead before meeting the boundary of the forest. The sand looked soft and luminous against the glare of the evening sun. He couldn’t speak for the rest of the crew, but he thought this would be a great place to rest for the night. The sand looked silky smooth and most importantly, steady. He tried not to let it become a problem, but the sway of the ship could sometimes make him feel a bit nauseous. He was looking forward to this brief respite on dry land.

“All clear.” He said in his low, husky voice. Yasha nodded and took a step into the shallow water. The sun was just edging down over the horizon. Very soon it would be twilight so they needed to quickly do a perimeter check before they could safely dock and set up camp.

When Yasha stepped into the water, Caduceus noticed something odd. It was still too sunny to really see closely but it seemed like the water was very faintly glowing around Yasha’s legs. Caduceus wondered if this was anything dangerous but it seemed like it wasn’t affecting Yasha in any harmful way. He looked back at the Ball Eater anchored further away and it didn’t seem like there was any glowing water further out to sea. Perhaps there was some kind of special algae around the island, and it glowed when it was disturbed? Or maybe there was a spiritual reason for the glowing water. He will ask Caleb later. The wizard knew a lot of things and was usually willing to answer his questions when he had them. Nott seemed to notice the glowing water as well.

“Oh my gooooood the water is trying to kill us! That’s it. I knew this day would come. We’re all dead. Yasha, it was nice knowing you.” Nott started rocking in her seat on the boat.

“I don’t think this is dangerous.” Yasha said softly. “I don’t feel any pain. In fact, the water feels very nice and warm.”

“Maybe that’s just what it WANTS you to think! What if it’s like….it’s like a Venus Flytrap, and just wants to make you feel all good inside before it sucks you in and eats you!” Caduceus was a bit surprised Nott knew enough botany to name an actual carnivorous plant. She certainly had an overactive imagination.

Just to be safe, Caduceus went through the motions of a quick Detect Magic spell. Yasha was already making her way through the water towards the beach while Nott stayed behind and panicked, gently so as not to tip over the boat. She refused to move until she knew it was absolutely safe.

After 10 minutes, the ritual was cast. It took a few minutes for the spell to take effect when he felt the magic seep into his bones. In that moment, the world went white.

Caduceus dropped his staff and gripped his eyes. It was like fire coiled behind his lids. The whole island seemed to sear his skin with its magic pulling his body tight. He gasped loudly trying to remain steady but it was like the magic was trying to smother him. This place seemed to be enriched with arcane energy. Caduceus tried to get his magic under control but it was like wading through a viscous pool of charged electricity. He clenched his teeth trying to open his eyes but the light was too blinding and he felt like his head would explode. He quickly dropped the spell before he could lose consciousness. He was panting hard with the beginnings of a migraine before he noticed Nott was trying to get his attention.

“…-re you okay? Caduceus! Speak to me, are you hurt? What’s going on?” Nott was leaning over towards him looking up at his pained expression. Caduceus took a few more minutes to get his breathing under control. He finally, carefully opened his eyes and was relieved to note he was not blind, but still very sensitive after opening himself up to all that arcane energy.

“This island. There’s…something special here. I’ve never seen a place so…so rich in arcane energy.” He took another quick, steadying breath. “If I had to guess, I’d say it’s what’s making the water glow like this.”

Nott responded with a nod. “So…what you’re saying…is the water IS trying to kill us!”

Caduceus smiled slightly. “No…no. I don’t think it’s that. But there is…a presence here. I’m not sure what. It might be safer if we stay on the boat for now.”

Nott nodded just as Yasha called out from beyond the beach.

“Hey you two! I seemed to have found something.” She was already far ahead just at the edge of where the beach met forest. Caduceus sighed. He supposed Yasha could take care of herself but he didn’t like the idea of her being alone over there. After a moment, the sensitivity faded and he felt…fine. More than fine. It was like the magic that overwhelmed him so strongly before wasn’t even there anymore. He looked at his hands taking a second to comprehend what just happened. There’s definitely power here. Too much power. He thought of Jester and Caleb realizing this could be very dangerous. He took another glance at the water and decided it was probably safe for now. And Yasha would need backup in case something happened up ahead.

“I’m on my way.” Caduceus said. 

He heard Nott mutter under her breath, “The water here is dangerous and the island is trying to kill us. You can respond to this message.”

“That’s…I-well okay.” Instead of trying to dissuade her or explain the situation, he stepped out of the boat and made his way towards Yasha, making sure to grab his staff and sunhat.

As he approached her, he saw that she was kneeling near what looked to be some kind of underground storage closet. It was covered in dirt and leaves and nearly imperceptible. He was actually surprised Yasha found it at all.

“I already checked inside.” She said. Caduceus nodded but did not like her checking things out without proper assistance. Though he supposed Yasha was just used to doing things alone.

“I only see a bunch of old bottles and casks. Nothing else.” Caduceus peered inside the small space and cast light with his staff to take a better look. There were indeed only a few bottles and one or two large oaken casks. Perhaps someone lived near here? But there wasn’t anything else except these bottles. Curious, he took a few cautious steps down the small ladder and made his way inside. Just to be safe, he quickly scanned for traps.

“What did you find?” Nott seemed to have gotten over her fear of the water and was peering down with Yasha above him.

It didn’t seem like there was anything hostile in here, but he opened one bottle and took a quick sniff. His eyes immediately started watering and he began coughing violently. 

“UGH oh Gods.”

“WHAT! What is it?!”

“I’m not sure. It smells very strong.” Caduceus tried to get his coughing under control. He had a very sensitive nose and the smell surprised him. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant though. It smelled oaky and robust like…

“Let me take a look!” Nott jumped down and took a sniff. Immediately her eyes lit up.

“This is rum!” She grabbed the bottle from his hands and took a small sip, tasting it first. She smiled in delight and took a longer gulp, almost draining the contents of the bottle.

“Yup! This is rum! And we got lots of it!” She pulled out her wire and shouted, “Caleb! You will NOT believe what we just found!” 

 

********

Caduceus, Nott and Yasha were sitting on the edge of the shore, just as the rest of the M9 crew approached them on their boats. Beau and Fjord looked impassive at first glance, but their stony expressions could not hide their excitement. A whole hidden liquor cache! Jester was practically vibrating from delight, perhaps not at the idea of finding “a whole fuck TON of liquor” as Beau would say, but at the inevitable hijinks that would ensue once the crew got a hold of it.

Orly, Marius and Galen looked uncomfortable, though perhaps Orly hid it better than the other two. He took a small sweep of the island before fixing his gaze on all the bottles of booze that littered the white beach. Yasha and Caduceus brought it all out for them so they could see and appreciate.

Caleb looked apprehensive as always. Before the rest of the crew docked, Caduceus stepped into the water and approached Caleb’s boat. He pointed at the sea’s surface.

“Place is magic.” He said. “I wouldn’t recommend using any divination spells for now, unless you want a migraine. I can tell you now, it isn’t worth it.” He smiled humorlessly. “My guess is it’s making the water glow.”

Caleb looked up at Caduceus then looked at his legs where the water almost imperceptibly glowed. The sun was setting lower now so it was easier to see the casting light. A faint turquoise glow seemed to emanate from where Caduceus was standing, giving him a ghostly appearance. It was frankly quite flattering, accentuating the angles of his chin and nose. Caleb looked up at Caduceus and seemed to hold his gaze for far longer than was necessary before nodding and stepping out of the boat.

“Hm. I see what you mean.” Caleb took a few steps in the warm, glowing water. He seemed to think for a moment before muttering a few words under his breath. A bright flame burst from his fingers encasing his hand in an ember light. The glow around his legs seemed to grow brighter.

“That’s interesting.” Caleb said and reached out towards the sea. The magic looked like the beginnings of firebolt spell but it didn’t look like a normal cantrip. The flames were hotter, and burned far brighter than it should. Cad took a few steps back as the flames seemed to grow around Caleb’s hands. He could hear the wizard struggle behind the power, squinting his eyes over the flame and clenching his teeth in an effort to keep the magic restrained. The flames suddenly burst forth out of his hands and shot across the sky. A tinny screech followed the ball of fire, parting the waves with its force. What followed was stunned silence.

Then the firebolt exploded into a tornado of fire in the distance.

No one moved or said anything. The fire burned quick and bright before dissipating into a soft whimper of smoke. The explosion disturbed a group of sea birds resting near the shore, causing them to fly away in fright. The waves seemed to stutter with the impact, moving further inland, before resuming their gentle crawl towards the shore. 

Another long moment passed. Caleb’s hand was still stretched out, jaw dropped in what could have been considered a comical expression under different circumstances. The silence around them felt deafening.

“Wow!” Jester laughed awkwardly. “Glad that didn’t hit our ship!” She looked like she didn’t really want to touch the water after that.

After the firebolt was cast, the water glowed from a bright, pale white to a softer more luminous turquoise glow.

“It…Caleb was that all you!?” Fjord asked in disbelief.

Caleb was panting softly. After channelling the magic, he looked for a second like he might pass out. Caduceus moved as if to steady him but Caleb quickly recovered.

“I’m alright.” He said to Caduceus. The firbolg reluctantly put his hands away. 

Caleb turned to Fjord. “Looks like we have more than just liquor on our hands.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully this chapter flows a bit better than the first one. Again, constructive criticism is appreciated :)


	3. Mind Numbing Substances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mighty Nein party it up like it's college, and Caduceus thinks too much.

21 bottles and 2 casks. That the Mighty Nein managed to already drink a third of their supply of rum bespoke a terrible truth – they were all terribly, but socially drunk. Though luckily some more than others.

After the Firebolt explosion, Marius, Orly and Galen felt it might be best for them to stay on the ship. They looked a bit freaked out, which Caduceus thought was fair given the circumstances, and so he gave them his special tea to help them relax. The rest of the M9 wanted to stay on the island a while to explore, so Fjord saw the three of them back with some share of the alcohol and a bit of fruit that they found further inland. He told them to sail away somewhere safe should something happen. The Mighty Nein would find them. Caduceus also promised to create a few jams for the crew once they got back to the ship, which judging by how quickly they were cleaning out their newfound alcohol reserves, was probably very soon. Beau, as a first mate, made sure to give the three of them a very large portion of the liquor they found which they graciously took, a little put out by the Mighty Nein’s uncharacteristic consideration of them. That still left the rest of the M9 with about 15 bottles and a cask of rum to go around. Enough to last them a few weeks at least. Though Caduceus thought he was probably being a bit too optimistic.

Once the perimeter was checked and deemed safe, they quickly set up camp when night time came upon them. Caduceus quickly prepared some salted fish seasoned with rosemary, thyme, hazelnuts and honey and doused it with some rum over the fire. He didn’t eat meat, but he knew his friends would appreciate something other than the plain salted meats they were used to eating up till now. He also fried some mushrooms in oil and garlic creating an aromatic sauce to dip some freshly baked bread into. For dessert he prepared some freshly cut apples that were portioned and slathered in peppermint cream. If the Mighty Nein were curious as to where all this extra food was coming from, they didn’t question it as they immediately set themselves upon the food and drink. Nott and Jester were dancing and singing around the fire, while Beau and Caleb were completely committed to the idea they were going to get absolutely wasted tonight. The rest of the Mighty Nein were a bit more controlled. Caduceus and Jester both accepted a small cup after a considerable amount of peer pressure from Beau, which Caduceus didn’t appreciate very much. He supposed she simply wanted them to loosen up which the Firbolg couldn’t really fault her for.

“I can drink that for you if you don’t want it.” Caleb said while scooting near Caduceus. They were sitting by the fire, just off the edge of the shore. It wasn’t cold here, since it was a tropical island, but it did tend to get chilly at night and the fire lent some extra heat and light to those who didn’t have darkvision. The wizard leaned in close and quickly snapped the cup out of Caduceus’s hand, downing the liquid in one gulp. He let out a soft belch.

“Ahhhh.” He said while looking Caduceus straight in the eye, daring him to object.

The firbolg chuckled, “Hey, I was drinking that.”

The wizard smirked. “You didn’t look like you were enjoying it very much so I thought I’d give you a hand. If you would like, I can pour you another cup?” Caleb raised an eyebrow in challenge.

Caduceus responded with a husky laugh. “I’m good actually...thanks.” The Firbolg gave Caleb an affectionate smile and saw the wizard blush and turn his face towards the fire, smiling shyly.

“Don’t mention it. I’m sure you know already but Beau was just trying to get you to loosen up a little.”

“Oh I know. Though that’s entirely up for debate since I know for a fact that I am already quite loose. Even without the use of mind numbing substances.”

“That’s soooo not true!” Jester suddenly appeared and plopped down near Caleb. “He’s like, a hundred times more chill with mind numbing substances. Trust me Caleb, you should hang out with us in the Crow’s Nest sometimes.” her smile quickly turned sly, “Caduceus has some reaaaally amazing herbs that can help you relax!”

“He has what?” Caleb asked surprised. The Firbolg simply smiled without comment. Jester couldn’t help but crack up at Caleb’s perplexed expression.

“You’d know if you weren’t cooped up in the cabins reading your books all the time!”

Caleb turned to the Firbolg. “Aren’t…you supposed to be on watch when you’re up there?”

“Well...,” Caduceus coughed trying to hide his mirth. “I don’t use it all the time and never when I’m on watch. It’s really only when I have the right company.” He gave the wizard a sidelong glance. Caleb quickly looked down at his empty cup.

“I don't know if I qualify as good company.”

“Well,” Caduceus leaned back a bit into the soft sand, pulling his arms up behind his head so he could get a bit more comfortable. His tunic hiked up showing a brief glimpse of furry skin underneath. The Firbolg couldn’t help but notice Caleb glancing down, watching him. “I mean we haven't really spent enough time together to really get that sense. Don’t you think?” He met Caleb’s gaze in what had to have been a mischievous grin. Caleb blushed bright red and seemed to choke on nothing.

“OH MY GOD would you two just KISS already”, Jester sprawled across Caleb’s lap making the wizard yelp in surprise. 

“Excuse me what?” Caduceus asked truly confused just as Fjord appeared. 

“What’s this about *hic* mind numbing substances?” Fjord looked to be about halfway through his second bottle and didn’t show any signs of slowing down. Caduceus thought maybe he should grab some snacks or cut up some more fruit for the orc, just so he’d have some food in his stomach to soak up some of that alcohol.

“Nothing Fjord, you wouldn’t like it.” Jester said dismissively, still stretched out across Caleb’s legs like a cat.

“…ooookay then.”

“Hey Caduceus. What's it like talking to plants and stuff?” Jester asked suddenly.

Everyone turned to Caduceus suddenly very interested. They've seen him communicate with nature a few times now and they were all curious as to how he went about doing this. He paused for a moment, thinking. Jester was just trying to deflect from Fjord’s inquiry but this was no easy thing to explain.

“Well you see it’s like...hmmmm.” He made a frustrated noise and glanced towards the trees behind them. He watched their motions as they danced with the gentle wind coming from the sea. The pattern lulled him many times before, particularly on calm nights like these when they were so similar to the ones he knew back home. As he watched, dazed by the motion of the branches, he let himself become one with the nature around him. He saw the trees take shape in his mind, not quite forming a language, but thoughts and feelings. He closed his eyes as they reached out and he tasted the shape of their words on his tongue. He smiled as the words clinging to him felt soft and warm. These trees were young and eager to please, beckoning to the birds and wildlife around them, imploring them to take a rest on their branches. They felt like Spring and new beginnings. The moment they sensed Caduceus was listening, he felt them beckoning to him with arms outstretched as if he were a long lost family member they hadn’t seen in years.

“Caduceus?” Jester asked again.

Then he felt something else. There was a faint whisper of...he couldn’t say. What was this? It felt foreign to him somehow. Like a stranger. He frowned. The trees didn't notice did they? He reached out again, pulling at their connection further, letting his mind go blank. 

No. They somehow couldn’t see there was a stranger in their midst. It felt like a blank spot, or an afterimage of something else. Something unnatural. It didn’t feel evil or malicious. It just felt...strange. Caduceus opened his eyes and saw Jester was standing in front of him with her hands on her hips.

“Hellooooooo, you in there Deuces?”

“Ah...I’m sorry, um. You were saying?”

“How bout instead we discuss something a little more *hic* interesting. Fjord stumbled over to Caleb, almost tripping over some loose sand, “That thing you did back there. That Firebolt. Your not just playing me right? That wasn’t a Fireball?”

Caleb seemed to be lost in thought but looked up quickly when he realized Fjord was asking him a question.

“Hm? Sorry what was that?”

“The Fireball?”

“Oh. That wasn’t a Fireball, it was just a normal Firebolt.”

Jester whipped her head around to Caleb, almost knocking Caduceus out with her horns. “That wasn’t somewhat Caleb! That was like, you know when it rains? And there’s lightning in the sky? But instead of rain and wind, it’s just FIRE? It was like that!” Jester gesticulated wildly with her hands in an effort to carry her point.

Caleb slowly stood up and took the bottle from Fjord’s hand, pouring himself another drink. “Well, luckily we tested it out on the ocean so no one got hurt. Much worse could have happened.” Caleb drank his liquor down quickly, grimacing at the inevitable burn in his throat.

Though it was obvious Caleb hated using his fire spells, this particular Firebolt looked more like a Meteor Swarm than a simple cantrip. It was unlike any other spell they’d seen before. And it seemed to really scare Caleb. He didn’t look outwardly different, but there was an intensity to his eyes that made him look like he was desperately trying to hide his emotions. He poured himself another drink, perhaps trying to quell some of his fears, or forget the Firebolt even happened.

“Hey, that’s alright Mr. Caleb.” Caduceus said as he stood reaching for Caleb’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about what will or won’t happen. Everything’s going to be okay.” He turned Caleb around so the wizard could look him in the eye. “Your right, no one got hurt. And even if something did happen, we’d be able to handle it together. We’ll take care of each other, okay?” He smiled as he gave Caleb another comforting pat on the shoulder sending a small Calm Emotions spell with it. Caduceus didn’t usually like using his enchantment spells so liberally, but he felt like Caleb needed one today.

What he didn’t expect was for Caleb to quite literally melt into his arms.

“Ahhhh your right Caduceus.” The cup of rum splashed across the sand as Caleb fell apart in the Firbolg’s hands. Caduceus had to quickly reach up and grab the wizard to keep him steady. He could barely hold his own weight, and was leaning heavily into the Firbolg’s chest. Caleb pushed his hands up Caduceus’s back and rubbed against him taking huge fistfuls of his pink hair. Caduceus tried to get a better grip on the wizard but Caleb just kept arching into his touch, leaning in further with a small sigh. Caduceus could feel a blush spread down his face and into his belly. 

“It feels good...so good when you talk, you know? Your voice...it's so soothing.” Caleb’s arms were moving against the Firbolg’s back, wrapping around his shoulders. His body was dangerously compliant. He moved to press his face against Caduceus’s neck, breathing in his scent.

Uh, what in the nine hells?

“OH MY GOD CALEB!” Jester was laughing and blushing like mad. She fanned herself with her hand. “I said KISS not fuck him right in front of us!”

“What’s going on? Is Caleb okay?” Nott was running towards them from where Yasha and Beau were sitting further away. They seemed deep in conversation when they heard Jester call Caleb’s name, looking up in concern.

“Hold on just a second.” Caduceus was struggling to keep the wizard upright. The enchantment wasn’t even a full incantation so it definitely shouldn’t have altered his mind like this. Was this because of the magic on the island? Fjord tried to help Caduceus lift him up but the wizard was firmly gripping the Firbolg’s tunic and didn’t seem to want to let go.

“What’s wrong with Caleb?!” Nott’s eyes were wide with concern. She looked like she wanted to help but didn’t really know what was going on. She stood back with her arms raised, ready to catch the wizard in case Caduceus or Fjord dropped him. The Firbolg quickly dispelled the enchantment before Caleb could get any worse.

But the wizard had already fallen asleep. 

It was a strange turn of events. Caleb looked very peaceful and totally oblivious to the frantic chaos that had erupted around him. Seeing that the wizard was asleep, Caduceus and Fjord looked at each other’s bewildered expressions then gently laid Caleb down on the sand.

Jester looked like she thought the whole situation was hilarious and was cackling with laughter. Fjord just looked confused and had to sit down from all the exertion. Nott was checking Caleb over to see if something was wrong with him and was glad to find him unharmed.

“Honestly, that boy cannot hold his liquor.” Nott sat back breathing a sigh of relief.

Everyone else disregarded the situation as just Caleb having too much to drink, but this wasn’t normal behaviour for the wizard. That Calm Emotions spell didn’t just pacify Caleb, it sank his emotions into oblivion. Caduceus felt a cold rush of guilt spread across his chest.

As everyone turned away resuming their drunken shenanigans, Caduceus looked back towards the dark forest with a deep frown on his face. Something's definitely not right here. This magic was too chaotic and unnatural. He thought maybe he and some of his more sober companions should go further inland to investigate.

Just as he saw a shadow disappear into the trees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like Jester is probably the most fun person to write. She says what we're all thinking :P
> 
> Any writing advice is greatly appreciated!


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